1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sealing devices for a roof part of a motor vehicle roof. In particular, the present invention relates to a sealing device with a movably supported seal for sealing the movable roof part relative to the adjacent motor vehicle part.
2. Description of Related Art
German Patent DE 43 44 373 C1 discloses a sealing frame arrangement on lateral frame members of a convertible roof, a folding roof or the like, especially for a convertible or a roadster. One sealing rail at a time is laterally attached to a convertible roof column which supports the convertible roof with the capacity to be lowered, to the rear roof frame part which is pivotally coupled thereto, and also to the front roof frame part which is pivotally coupled to a rear roof frame part. The sealing rail of the rear roof frame part is attached to the rear roof frame part to be movable in the lengthwise direction and is pretensioned forward against the front roof frame part by a spring means. When the convertible roof or roof is opened, the front roof frame part pivots up and enables the sealing rail to move forward so that a gap in the joint between the movably supported sealing rail of the rear roof frame part and the rear sealing rail securely attached to the column of the convertible roof can open before the rear roof frame part is pivoted relative to the convertible roof column. When the roof is lowered, the lengthwise position of the movable sealing rail changes relative to the rear roof frame part. In the side or transverse direction, the position of the sealing rail does not change relative to the roof frame part.
A primary advantage of the present invention is in providing a sealing device and a motor vehicle roof with such a sealing device which can be moved from its sealed position, into a compact arrangement with respect to the movable roof part when the movable roof part is moved.
This advantage is attained in the sealing device in accordance with the present invention in which the seal being supported is adapted to be able to pivot relative to the movable roof part, is displaceable relative to the roof part into its sealing position when the movable roof part assumes the position to be sealed such as when the roof part is closed, and is pivoted into a lowered position when the movable roof part is moved in a position where a sealing function is not required such as when the roof part is opened. Relative to the lengthwise displacement of the seal, the position of the seal can be adjusted in which it assumes a preferred position relative to the movable roof part by pivoting motion on a short path of motion.
According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the seal which has been pivoted into its lowered position enables directly bordering positioning of the movable roof part on another motor vehicle part, especially on a roof part. Thus the roof part, or a side edge of the roof part, can be moved into a compact position which borders the motor vehicle part because of the pivoted seal when the entire seal is in its pivoted position so that reduced height or thickness dimension is attained.
The present invention is also advantageous when at least one section of the seal located in its pivoted-in, lowered position on the roof part, assumes the position which enables the movable roof part to be positioned directly adjacent another motor vehicle part. Thus, for example, this section is located essentially closely adjoining the roof part in the pivoted-in, lowered position. While the stationary seals or those which can be moved lengthwise as a result of their necessary shape and sealing position often project from the roof part and thus, take up additional space, the pivotally supported seal can be moved into a compact arrangement.
In one embodiment, to move the seal, a drive mechanism may be provided which, for instance, may be formed as a coupling means which couples the movable seal to the movable roof part or the roof part which executes relative motion relative to the seal. The coupling means can be a coupling rod, a coupling mechanism or a spring.
In one embodiment, to achieve a compact arrangement of the pivoted seal, the seal is supported to be able to pivot around a pivoting axis which runs roughly along the edge of the roof part to be sealed. For seals which run clearly bent or offset, the pivoting axis may also run at an angle to the edge to be sealed.
In one preferred embodiment the movable roof part is a part of a motor vehicle roof which is adapted to be lowered in a stowage space, and the motor vehicle roof may be a convertible roof or a hardtop. The hardtop can have two or more fixed roof elements which can be lowered in various ways into a lowered or stowage space in the motor vehicle rear.
In particular, the movable roof part is the rear roof part of a hardtop roof which is underneath the front roof part when being lowered. For one such roof, for example, the front roof part and the rear roof part can be lowered by a bearing mechanism into the storage space in the motor vehicle rear, and the seal for a side window which is located laterally on the rear roof part can be pivoted inward when the rear roof part is being lowered. The seal can be pivoted in such that the rear roof part and the front roof part can lie tightly on one another and thus, the height of the storage space can be reduced by approximately the size of the seal.
Furthermore, in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the seal carrier of the seal is pivotally supported on a pivoting bearing mechanism which is located on a pivoting connecting rod that movably supports the rear roof part on the body or on the main column of the main mechanism.
The sealing device may be made such that the seal or the seal carrier is coupled to an assigned side window and can be pivoted with the seal into a pivoted-in, compact, lowered position. Thus, a separate lowering mechanism for the rear side window is not necessary.
These and other advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when viewed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.